Transportation Bridge Safety Inspector 3 - Kanawha County at West Virginia Department of Transportation (WV)

About the Department

The Transportation Bridge Safety Inspector 3 will report to the District Bridge Department. Position performs advanced level bridge safety inspection work and is a lead member of a highway bridge safety inspection team. Leads and performs strenuous manual labor in rigging scaffolds and ladders to access bridge structures. Participates in the inspection and documentation of inspection findings to determine the structural integrity and safety of state highway bridges. May write inspection reports. The work requires strenuous physical labor. Hazardous working conditions involve climbing on the superstructure and substructure of bridges. The work may involve exposure to severe weather conditions. Performs related work as required.

Position Duties

• Plans, assigns, monitors, and evaluates the work of members of the bridge safety inspection team.

• Rigs scaffolds and ladders to provide access to bridge structure.

• Chips dirt and scale from bridge members to allow inspection and measurement.

• Obtains data on the dimensions and other details of the bridge.

• Determines the conditions and amount of reduction of bridge members.

• Takes soundings to determine scour and other riverbed conditions.

• Takes field notes and makes routine sketches of bridge conditions.

• Takes photographs of bridge deterioration.

• Makes recommendations for the repair of damage to the bridge.

• Compiles and writes the inspection report.

• Travel may be required; therefore, a valid driver’s license is required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of the manuals and standards of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials and the American Institute of Steel Construction applicable  to bridge safety inspection.

• Knowledge of federal and state manuals and standards applicable to bridge safety inspection.

• Knowledge of bridge design and construction principles.

• Ability to interpret plans and specifications.

• Ability to compute areas and volumes.

 • Ability to keep accurate notes and records.

• Ability to make detailed sketches.

• Ability to complete standard forms and inventories.

• Ability to write narrative technical reports.

• Ability to climb bridge structures and perform strenuous physical activities.

Other Qualifications

REQUIRED TRAINING/EDUCATION 

• Certification as a Transportation Bridge Safety Inspector 3 by the West Virginia Department of Transportation.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• No experience required.

REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW HIRES (ONLY) :

Option 1 Traditional:  Documented (5) five years of Board approved technical experience

and obtained 450 TDH’s from the AAS Highway Engineering Technology – Bridge Inspection Concentration degree requirements.

OR

Option 2 Pre-Approved BS or AS degree:  Documented (5) five years of Board approved

technical experience after obtaining a Board approved bachelor’s degree or associate

degree in engineering, engineering technology, or similar technical degree from an accredited college or university not listed in Option 3 or 4.

OR

Option 3 BSCE or BSCET degree with FE: Documented (2) two years of Board approved technical experience after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or civil engineering technology from an ABET accredited college or university and passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE).

OR

Option 4 ASCE or ASCET degree:  Documented (4) four years of Board approved

technical experience after obtaining an associate degree in civil engineering or civil engineering technology from an ABET accredited college or university.

OR

Option 5 Existing Bridge Safety Inspector 2:  Obtain 90 TDH’s per year from the AAS

Highway Engineering – Bridge Inspection Concentration degree requirements until 5 years of documented Board approved technical experience as a bridge inspector has been met.